Veteran sports writer Jim Utter covers NASCAR for The Charlotte Observer and its racing site, ThatsRacin.com. In this space, Jim writes about all things NASCAR and other forms of racing which may also be relevant ... or not.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Welcome the Chevy SS to NASCAR

Three down, one to go.

Chevrolet became the third manufacturer in NASCAR to unveil its 2013 car when it announced on Thursday the Chevrolet SS in the Sprint Cup Series next season. Ford and Dodge have already unveiled their 2013 cars, which look much more like their respective production models.

The V-8 powered, rear-wheel-drive
performance sedan will be a limited production model 2014 model car that will arrive in showrooms in late 2013. The race car will debut in the 2013 Daytona 500.

Chevrolet has
a long history of using the SS (Super Sport) designation on high-performance
models of some of its most enduring nameplates. The SS designation first
appeared in 1957 on a Corvette prototype race car built under the guidance of
Zora Arkus-Duntov with the plan to enter it in the Le Mans 24-hour race.

The Chevrolet
SS will be a derivative of the award-winning global rear-wheel-drive
architecture that spawns performance vehicles like Chevrolet Camaro and Holden’s
upcoming VF Commodore. The Australian-built car will benefit
from significant technology advances to enhance overall
performance.

“As a
passionate race fan and performance enthusiast, I am thrilled that Chevrolet
will deliver a true rear-wheel-drive NASCAR race car in the SS that is closely
linked to the performance sedan that will be available for sale,” said Mark
Reuss, president of GM North America.

“The Chevrolet SS is a great example of
how GM is able to leverage its global product portfolio to deliver a unique
performance experience that extends beyond the track. I am personally looking
forward to driving it.”